Fabric bearing



United States Patent 6 necticut Filed Feb. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 9,038 2 Claims. (Cl. 308-238) This invention relates to anti-friction bearings and more particularly to a Woven fabric bearing in which Teflon yarn constitutes the bearing surface.

An object is to provide a bearing of the above type which is resistant to relatively high temperatures.

Another object is to provide a bearing of the above type composed entirely of filaments which are resistant to high temperatures.

Another object is to provide such a hearing which is composed entirely of materials having a temperature resistance at least as high as Teflon.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the present invention the bearing is composed of a fabric woven with Teflon yarns on one surface and with wire filaments on the other surface. The Teflon may, for example, be woven as warp and the metal filaments as fillers, with the Teflon spanning several successive fillers to form surface floats which constitute the bearing surface. Any highly flexible wire may be used such as copper, brass, Monel, stainless steel, aluminum, or the like. The Teflon (tetrafluoroethylene), may be in the monofilament form or in multifilament form.

The Wire backed fabric thus formed is sufliciently stiff to be anchored in grooves in the bearing housing, or it may be bonded or soldered in place. In any event the hearings will withstand temperatures at least of the order of 550 F. above which point Teflon begins to soften.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment has been shown for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a fabric embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a warpwide section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the details of the weave;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of a bearing in which the fabric of FIGS. 1 and 2 constitute the bearing surface;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevation similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a detail on a larger scale, illustrating another means for securing the fabric to the housing; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawing more in detail the fabric is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as comprising filler shots 10 of wire filaments of any of the materials above mentioned and a plurality of warp yarns 11 composed of Teflon. In the form shown each warp 11 spans seven fillers 10 to form surface floats and is bound under a single filler between floats. Successive warp yarns are displaced by three filler shots as in a twill weave. Of course the length of the floats and the nature of the weave may be varied as desired provided the Teflon yarns are exposed at the surface to form one face of the fabric and the metal filaments are exposed on the other surface to form a supporting backing.

In FIG. 3 the bearing is shown as comprising an upper housing 12 and a lower housing 13 secured together by suitable means not shown. A fabric 14 of the type described above is positioned in the upper housing 12 with.

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the wire face against the metal of the housing and with the Teflon face exposed to form the bearing surface. The ends 15 of the fabric are flanged and secured between the housings 12 and 13 to hold the fabric in place. A similar fabric 14 is disposed in the lower housing 13 and is indicated as secured by a bonding agent such as by soldering or brazing. Of course both upper and lower halves may be secured in the same manner. Two different means of securing the fabric to the housing have been shown for purposes of illustration only.

FIG. 4 shows a further means of securing the fabric in place. In this form the housing is formed with a plurality of axially extending slots 16 and the fabric 14 is held in these slots by means of wires 17. For assembly the fabric 14 is placed over the surface of the housing with the wires 17 over the fabric and registering with the slots. Mechanical pressure is then applied to force the wires with the fabric into the slots 16, deforming the wires and fabric to some extent as they are forced through the slot openings. After the pressure has been relieved the elements expand to lock the fabric in place.

In the form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 a plurality of axial grooves 18 and a plurality of circumferential grooves 19 are cut in the housing. 20. The axial grooves 18 are shown as inclined to the radial direction to form bosses 21 having sides 22 sloping outwardly and sides 23 which are undercut. The bearing fabric 14 is placed over this surface and a high pressure is applied, of the order of tons per square inch. This pressure forces the backing wires 10 into the slots 18 and over the bosses 21 and into the cross slots 19 deforming the wires and compacting the Teflon yarn. When the pressure is released the Wires are firmly secured in the slots to anchor the fabric in place while the Teflon yarns are exposed to present a smooth bearing surface for a shaft 24 or the like.

Bearings of the above type are suitable for heavy duty use such as in railway journals as they will operate even in the absence of oil or other lubricant without binding or burning. They are also suitable for various automotive uses as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An antifriction bearing comprising a metal backing member having a surface conforming to the bearing, and a woven fabric disposed on said surface, said fabric comprising Teflon yarns and metal filaments woven together, said Teflon yarns spanning a plurality of said metal filaments as surface floats and being bound under other metal filaments between floats, said floats being exposed on one side to constitute a bearing surface and said metal filament being exposed on the other side to constitute a stiffening and supporting backing, said backing member having a plurality of grooves and the metal filaments of said fabric being embedded in said grooves to secure said fabric to said backing member and to hold said Teflon yarns in place.

2. A bearing as set forth in claim 1 in which said grooves are inclined with respect to the normal to the surface of the bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,765 White June 12, 1960 2,720,119 Sherman Oct. 11, 1955 2,804,886 White Sept. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 731,348 Great Britain June 8, 1955 

1. AN ANTIFRICATION BEARING COMPRISING A METAL BACKING MEMBER HAVING A SURFACE CONFORMING TO THE BEARING, AND A WOVEN FABRIC DISPOSED ON SAID SURFACE, SAID FABRIC COMPRISING TEFLON YARNS AND METAL FILAMENTS WOVEN TOGETHER, SAID TEFLON YARNS SPANNING A PLURALITY OF SAID METAL FILAMENTS AS SURFACE FLOATS AND BEING BOUND UNDER 